


Spell My Name With a

by Allekha



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Character's Name Spelled as Victor, Ficlets, Fluff, Gen, Nonnies Made Me Do It, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2019-07-15 15:04:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16065644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Allekha/pseuds/Allekha
Summary: His passport spells his name with a 'k'. When he's young, Victor decides otherwise.





	Spell My Name With a

 

Victor likes school. He doesn't like his homework, but he likes math and he likes reading books and he likes languages. His mother knows enough French to tutor him in it, and he enjoys spending time with her, repeating the pretty words. Her English knowledge is lacking, but she brings him books and comics to study with so he can get good at that, too.  
  
One day, he comes across the word _victor_ in one of his comics, and he can guess what it means from the pictures, but he looks it up anyway. _Winner_ , his dictionary says, and other things.  
  
_Victor_ is only one letter away from the _Viktor_ written in his passport. And a 'c' is basically a 'k' in English, except when it's not, so it's pretty much the same word! Victor turns over in his bed and laughs to himself. His name means _winner_ in English! That's _amazing_.  
  
Victor likes winning skating competitions even more than going to school. And he's even better at it, too. So good that he has a new coach now after winning enough competitions, a famous coach who's grumpy but sometimes looks at Victor like he's trying to will himself not to be amazed.  
  
_Victor_ is a name, too, isn't it? Victor Hugo, who wrote... he can't remember right now. Something French and famous.  
  
So Victor starts to write _Victor_ on his English homework instead of _Viktor_ , because it makes him see gold medals in his future whenever he writes it like that. The change gets him a few questioning notes from the teacher, but she has other things to worry about, classmates who struggle with English far more than Victor does, so she never bothers him about it.  
  
—  
  
When Victor starts to compete outside of Russia, Yakov helps him fill out all the forms. It's actually mostly Yakov filling them in, but Victor can help.  
  
Yakov raises an eyebrow when Victor hands him one with his name written as _Victor Nikiforov_. "Isn't it spelled differently nowadays? On your passport?"  
  
"I like this way better." He leans over to point at it. "See, it looks just like _victor_ like _winner_ if you write it like that. It's a good-luck charm! It's okay, isn't it?"  
  
Yakov always looks so harsh, but there's a secret to his expressions. They get softer sometimes, at the corners. That's what his face does right now, so Victor knows he's charmed him a little. "I don't see why not, as long as they know that it's you." He scribbles a note down on the form. "It's a better charm than jewelry."  
  
"I think it's nice when people wear necklaces and stuff."  
  
"It's a distraction and a potential hazard and I'm sure it's against ISU's own rules, not that they'll ever enforce it. No necklaces, Vitya. Not ever."  
  
"What about a bracelet?"  
  
"They can still fall off."  
  
"What about a ring? Like, if I get married someday, will you make me take the wedding ring off? Yakov, you would never be so cruel, would you?" Victor throws himself down across Yakov's desk.  
  
Yakov rolls his eyes and pushes him back into his seat. "A ring would be fine, as long as it fits you. And you get to wear one at most, no more than that." His voice is gruff, but the lines around his mouth are still less severe than usual, and that sign – and the thought of marrying someone he loves someday and skating with them – makes warmth grow in Victor's chest.  
  
—  
  
After Victor wins Junior Worlds at sixteen – for the second year in a row – after winning everything else he's entered, too – one of the PR people Yakov knows sets up a website for him. He buys half a dozen variations on the domain name for Victor, but he doesn't have to ask to know which spelling to redirect them all to.  
  
Victor looks at the website when it's done, laying in bed with his laptop and Makkachin. It's all shiny and sleek and modern, with a delicate blue background and photos of him smiling and training and, of course, hugging Makkachin like he's doing right now.  
  
It's the perfect website for a future medalist, ready to compete in seniors now that Yakov has decided his body has grown and strengthened enough. He wants to be the victor at everything he enters again this season, too. His GP assignments and the final and Nationals and Euros and the _Olympics_ and Worlds. All of them.  
  
It's not going to be easy. Victor knows that. He didn't win Junior Worlds with a new world record – even with none of the quads Yakov only cautiously lets him practice – because he sat around all day dreaming of it. He's been working on his jumps, on his stamina, on his basic skating skills so he has enough power for the rest of it.  
  
Some of his rink mates say the exercises are boring and complain about them after practice. But Victor loves skating, and he even kind of enjoys the repetitive exercises that Yakov makes him do to improve his stroking and edges and control. And if some boring exercises are what it takes to be on top of the Olympic podium, Victor will skate in circles around the rink all year.  
  
"The victor is Victor Nikiforov," he says aloud, imitating the voice of his favorite commentator. "Hey, Makkachin, how does that sound?"  
  
Makkachin licks his face. Victor grins and buries his face in her curls. She's right; it sounds great.

 

———

 

The crowd is screaming Victor's name, more than ready for his return to skating at Nationals. He hopes he doesn't disappoint them; he's only had two difficult weeks to prepare, and though he hasn't been slacking off since Worlds, he has been taking it easy while coaching Yuuri.  
  
Yakov is giving him reminders at the boards. More than usual, since they've had so little time to work on this program. In his peripheral vision, he can see Georgi sitting in the kiss-and-cry, probably making hearts at the camera – the crowd loves him, too, and the sweepers were still clearing off flowers when Victor came out.  
  
When Yakov takes a breath, Victor smiles at him. "Hey, Yakov," he starts. There's a memory that's been floating in his mind since he got on the ice. "It's still okay to wear this when I compete, right?"  
  
At Yakov's blank look, Victor holds out his hand. The right one, with the ring that Yuuri slid on it firmly in place. It's warm and gold and more precious than any medal Victor has ever won. Yakov gives it a stare, then sighs. "Whether it's a charm or a wedding ring, I already said one was fine, didn't I? You kicked up such a fuss about it, I would think you'd remember."  
  
"Just wanted to make sure! You know how fast the rules change."  
  
Yakov shakes his head. And then he folds one large hand over Victor's, hot against Victor's cold skin. "Listen, Vitya. I'll live if you still need more time to get back into perfect shape and the podium looks a little different this year. But for Katsuki's sake, go out there and show him his _victor_." Or maybe _his Victor_ ; Victor is happy with the idea of either one.  
  
"Okay," says Victor. He squeezes Yakov's hand, then lets go as the announcer calls his name. He waves at the fans as he skates to center ice, sees Georgi crying with a smile as he turns around – oh, must've been nice scores, then. The arena is packed, thousands of eyes upon him, but there's a few gazes that mean more than the rest.  
  
Victor kisses the ring. Somewhere, far away, Yuuri will be watching him do this. He misses Yuuri so, so much. He can't wait to see him in person again, to touch his hands as warm as this ring and kiss his cheeks made pink by the cold practice ice. At least the ring is a reminder of him, a piece of his presence.  
  
For the first time in maybe years, his heart is light and not blank as he settles into his opening pose.

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a discussion of the 'Character's name spelled as Viktor' tag (sorry, guys, I still think it's ridiculous to insist on changing the spelling of a character's name when it's spelled the same everywhere in canon and in extra-canon material just because you think it looks wrong). With bonus postcanon omake inspired by a nonny.


End file.
